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10 Small Steps for Department Chairs to Foster Inclusion

This article by Ethel L. MickeyJoya Misra and Ember Skye Kanelee published in Inside Higher Ed

As researchers with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst ADVANCE Program, funded by the National Science Foundation, [the authors] have conducted surveys and interviews with diverse STEM faculty members about their careers, on how included they feel on campus and what supports could be put in place to foster a greater sense of belonging and feeling valued.

[They} suggest that inclusion comes from the daily, lived experiences and interactions of faculty members. [Their] research indicates that departmental interventions can be particularly effective in ensuring that faculty, especially underrepresented faculty, feel included on a campus. [They]’ve outlined practical steps that departmental leaders can take to become allies and foster inclusivity among their colleagues.